Scan barcode
A review by belle13
Bound by Duty by Cora Reilly
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Tropes/Themes: Arranged Marriage, Mafia Romance
Amount of spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
My thoughts
Bound by Honor will always have an extra special place in my heart but I loved Bound by Duty almost as much (occasionally even more). Val and Dante are a completely different vibe to Aria and Luca. They are much more calculating and careful with their emotions and response to things. In saying that, I think this is a more emotional story than Bound by Honor. My heart broke a little for Val because she’s so tough but feels like she isn’t good enough for someone to love and was let down twice in marriages where she had no real choice.
Val doesn’t take any shit from Dante which is refreshing and the sexual tension in this one is some of the best Cora has written in my opinion. It's a slow burn and takes them a long time to really trust and love each other which is right up my alley. I will say that I don’t think this book will age well because there are a few problematic themes - although this is consistent with the mafia romance genre I guess. I would say always check TWs for Cora’s books.
I loved it and will probably read it a thousand more times.
Amount of spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
My thoughts
Bound by Honor will always have an extra special place in my heart but I loved Bound by Duty almost as much (occasionally even more). Val and Dante are a completely different vibe to Aria and Luca. They are much more calculating and careful with their emotions and response to things. In saying that, I think this is a more emotional story than Bound by Honor. My heart broke a little for Val because she’s so tough but feels like she isn’t good enough for someone to love and was let down twice in marriages where she had no real choice.
Val doesn’t take any shit from Dante which is refreshing and the sexual tension in this one is some of the best Cora has written in my opinion. It's a slow burn and takes them a long time to really trust and love each other which is right up my alley. I will say that I don’t think this book will age well because there are a few problematic themes - although this is consistent with the mafia romance genre I guess. I would say always check TWs for Cora’s books.
I loved it and will probably read it a thousand more times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia and Infertility